Elder Lawson and his African Brother, two peas in a pod!!

Hello family and friends

I’m so sorry it has been so long since I have written.  Things have been crazy around here. I guess I can start by saying it is still hotter than the very depths of hell.  

Things are going great though it seems that I will be moving from my first area this next week so I’m both nervous, sad and excited about that. I have been here for over 7 months in this area and I have grown to love these people here in the Fiapre branch more than I thought I ever could.  

This weekend was a wonderful time; I was able to reflect on Christ and everything that has been happening in my life as of late, things have been great. I am learning so much on my mission so much about whom I am and how much I've changed. I love to look back on the person that I was as I left, though I now see how much of a small boy I was and still am now, I see progression  though, I see things I never thought I would see. I love my mission it is by far the hardest experience of my life.

 I have felt extremes that I've never experienced back home even with the loving support of family and friends.  Now I’m 7,400 miles away and everything is foreign, there is absolutely nothing familiar,

 I’m grateful for the Savior for all that he has done for me for his atoning sacrifice and the wonderful things that he accomplished for me,

 Christ died for me “ Elder Lawson” and sadly I never gave the appropriate amount of appreciation for that, so now I am serving with all that I have, to show how much I love my Father in Heaven how much I love the Savior. I know that the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saint is true it is Gods kingdom once again established here on earth. Joseph Smith at a very young age was visited by God the Father and his son Jesus Christ.

 I am so very grateful for the priesthood and the wonderful things it has done for me in my life. I love my parents with all that I have I've been able to really reflect upon the love and support that they have shown me over the years and to be honest I don’t deserve them they have done so very much for me. I love you all and hope that you have an amazing week and that all is well, as for me I’m serving the Lord in a place that sometimes feels like a different planet.

-Elder Lawson

P.S. Emailed the Nurse to see how he was doing, besides his back still hurting a little he is feeling much better and all tests have come back normal so that is a huge relief. This week was a better week of Health..

Here is our letter from our adopted African Son Elder Batutsi as he has given permission to share.

hope you can understand my gramar

My parents are from Rwanda and were forced to flee the country during the second exodus in 1987 when the  (majority tribal group in Rwanda) were killing all the (minority tribal group in Rwanda). They walked to the borders of Uganda, and the Uganda government with help from international peace agencies like U.N and RED CROSS transported them to a refugee camp. Life in the refugee camp is terrible. Our family slept 5 people to one tent. We didn’t have access to clean water, and the food was only provided monthly. There were schools in the camps, but education was limited. When my father got a job we had to leave the camp. School fees are very expensive and it is hard to go to school. I dream is to work in the medical field. My favorite subject was science and I worked hard when I had the chance to go to school. My parents didn’t have the chance to go to school and my mother can’t read.




My parents moved to the Refugee Camp when they were forced out of Rwanda during the genocide. After leaving the refugee camp, we were no longer eligible for UN aid and my siblings and I were forced to leave school. We were always lacking in basic needs like food, and clothes. We did all sorts of dirty jobs to help support the family. My mom washed clothes and we sold charcoal, found used bottles to sell to people who made juice, fetched water for the neighbors, and anything we could do to make some money. I remember watching my friends go to school knowing I couldn’t and that would hurt. I was able to go back to school and finish up to Primary 7 but because of school fees I was only able to go to the first year of secondary school. I was lucky and met a couple that sponsored me through senior school. Through this experience I have learned that it doesn’t matter in life what is happening to you, or what struggles you are going through it’s how you handle the pressures and your determination to succeed that makes the difference.

The camp that I lived in is still there today and I would love to go back and help children that are like I was. The children there need help, they deserve to have a good education and good health, not working as house girls, and in farms for small money.

To me family never meant a lot since we never had time of joy and love, not until i got converted to the church of JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINT, their my view for family relationships became stronger

maybe i can never find the right words to describe the memories of my childhood.
with love, Elder Batutsi

I love this sweet Elder so much..what an amazing young man.

Elder Lawson's pants are looking a bit big..what a cool picture..

He was late emailing this morning because they were helping someone move..I got so worried when I didn't get a email as he was so sick last week..

Getting ready to go serve in the move..

I love this picture of  Elder Batutsi and Elder Lawson, they are pretending to ride a motorcycle.

These boys will always be boys..I know he misses his motorcycle so its fun to see him on one again..